The invention relates to treatment of hydrocarbon feeds, and more particularly to treatment of such feeds to convert metalloporphyrins.
Crude oil contains metal in amounts which can vary from a few parts per million to more than 1,000 ppm. Sodium, lithium, calcium, strontium, copper, silver, vanadium, manganese, tin, lead, cobalt, titanium, gold, chromium and nickel are some of the metals found in such oil. These metals are usually combined with naphthenic acid forming organometallic complexes such as metalloporphyrins. Among these metals, vanadium and nickel are most abundant. These metals restrict commercialization of the crude, and can cause problems in refining. For example, the metalloporphyrins tend to be retained in the residue during distillation and FCC processes. Further, these metals can dramatically affect performance of the catalyst for refining processes.
Various expensive approaches, such as hydrotreatment and gasification, have been attempted to remove such metals, without complete success.
Optimal operation of many hydrocarbon upgrading processes is strongly affected by metal presence. Any up-stream oil treatment process, upstream of an FCC unit, can provide a benefit through metal removal.
It is clear that the need remains for an economical and efficient process for removing metals, and especially metalloporphyrins, from hydrocarbon feeds.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide such process.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear herein below.